Improvement in straw-stacking attachment for thrashing-mach , es



2Sheets--She 1. W. CARR. T

Straw Stacking-Attachments for Thrashing-Maching s. N 13 12 Patented May6,187

AM. PHOTO-UTHDGRAPHIC co. MY.(0\9BORNE:9 mam-29g] UNITED STATES PATENT O WILLIAM CARR, OF YELLOW SPRINGS, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN STRAW-STACKING ATTACHMENT FOR THRASHING-MACH ES.

ICE

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,612, dated May 6, 1873; appli tion filed January 29, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM CARR, of Yellow Springs, Greene county, Ohio, have i11- vented a new and useful, Straw-Stacking Attachment for Thrashing-Machines,' of which the following is a specification:

Nature and Objectscf the Invention.

My invention relates to the provision of a straw carrying fork or grapnel, under control of one or more operators or attendants, and driven by power derived from the beater-shaft or other moving part of the thrashing-machine.

General Description.

In carrying out the above purpose I provide on the outside of the thrashercase or framea series of Windlass -drums, capable of being placed in connection with the beater-shaft or other shaft of the thrashing-machine by means of a slip-belt and movable clutch or equivalent devices. From these windlasses proceed cords or ropes to a traveling-carrier, from which depends a double fork or grapnel, which serves to grasp a bunch of straw, raises it to the proper height, conducts it to the point from which it is desired to drop it, and then to release the bunch. This traveling, grasping, and releasing apparatus is suspended from and guided by a tight-rope attached to suitable shears, which, for convenience, are made portable.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 1 is a general perspective view, representing a thrashing machine and strawstacker in position for operation. Fig. 2 is an axial section through the Windlass, the clutch being disengaged from the drums. Fig. 3 is a similar section, showing the clutch engaged with the lifting and disengaged from forwardingdrum. Fig. 4 is a similar section, showing said clutch engaged with the forwarding-drum. Fig. 5 is a reverse perspective view of the Windlass, the shield being removed. Fig. 6 is a vertical sect-ion through the carrier and its suspended block-pulley, in the plane of the sheaves, just before the act of springing the catch. Fig. 7 is a similar section of the same parts after the catch has been sprung. Fig. 8 shows one of the poles taken apart, and Fig. 9, the same pole united.

A may represent a thrashi-machine of any form. A small pulley, B, I on the beater-shat't communicates from sai l haft tnrough the medium of crossed beltG I a large pulley D to any Windlass-shaft, E, jou naled in suitable bearings F upon the fram If the thrashin g-machine. The shaft E is f thered at its midlength to impart constant rotation to a sliding clutch, Gr, operated by lever, H, and which, when shifted to the rig (see Fig. 3,) engages in loose drum I, or wen shifted to the left, as in Fig. 4., engagesi oose drum J. Loose drum J carries a ratche Twheel, L, capable of receiving a detent, operated by lever N. The levers H andN ave attached to them cords H and N, whic pass around sheaves O, to enable said lever, o be operated by persons standing upon th ground. A common loose pulley and belt shifter being provided may enable discon ction of the strawstacker Windlass at any oment. P P is one pair, and P P another pair of shears or poles, preferably of the repre nted X transverse section, and each formed n two pieces, 19 19, united when in use by t e insertion of the salient into the receding ortion of the scarf-joint p, and being held i mly together by the hook. p, staple 9, In d stationary band 1)". This form of the les combines strength with lightness, and t capability of separation at or about their jidlengt-h into two component-parts enables t jir easy transportation and compact storag when not in use. The lower ends of the j aid poles are armed with spikes Q, to take mi hold of the ground, and their upper ends e coupled by means of bolts R having eyes r or stout cords or cables S S S, of whichtl central one,

S, stretches from one pair to t e other of the sheaves, and serves as the tra -rope for any suitable carrier, T. The other 1 ables serve as guys, the cable S being seen d to a stake, U, in the ground- The cable I may also be secured to a stake in the gro 1 d,,or may be fastened to the frame of the thr 1 sher by means of ratchet-winch s, as shown i .Fig. 1. VV V are block-pulleys suspen ed from said poles. W is a rope attache at one end to the drum I, and. being rove th ugh pulley V and carried round a sheave, w, n the carrier,

and rovethrough a block-pa ey, 3 has its other end attached to the carrier, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. W is a rope attached at the end of the drum J, and, being rove through pulleys V and V, is attached by its other end to the carrier. The two fork-heads a a, composing the grapnel, are suspended by a chain or strap, 1), from an eye, Z, extending from the bottom of the block-pulley Y. The pulley Y is furnished with a customary tripcatch, 0, whose arm d is operated on the ascent of the said pulley so as to release the said catch by striking against the ring 0, which projects from the bottom of the carrier. A second sheave, f, in the carrier, enables it to be run easily out and in along the cable S. g is an eccentric clamp, which, when left at liberty, presses the rope W tightly against the sheave X, so as to automatically prevent the descent of the said rope and of its dependent pulley Ywithout opposing the ascent of the said rope. The clamp g is managed by means of a rope, j. The action of the clamp 9 may be aided by a spring, h, which is attached to an arm, 6, that projects from shaft of said clamp. The action of the spring h is to press the clamp 9 against the rope W without interfering with the upward movement of said rope. To this arm is attached a rope, j, whereby a person on the ground can engage clamp J whenever it is desired to retain the loadedgrapnel at its elevated position after the liberation of the drum I. m is a guard or cover for the Windlass.

The above-described preferred form of my improvement may be varied innon-essential particulars; for example, the descent of grapnel may be prevented by a rubber applied to drum, I, and worked by a cord similar to other levers; or, it can be worked by clamp 9, acting automatically, and being disengaged by rope j.

Operation.

The thrashing-machine being placed in position and ready for operation, and the pulleys B and D being belted together, and the ropes \V and W wound upon their drums and rove through their appropriate pulleys, as above explained, the poles P P P P have now their operative halves spliced together and their upper ends coupled in two pairs by the eye-bolts, and the stacker is now ready for ac tion. As soon as a sufficient pile of straw has accumulated at the tail of the thrasher the grapnel is disposed with its forks extended upon the straw, and, the trip-catch being locked, the lever is shifted so as to connect the drum I with the revolving clutch. The drum I now revolves and winds up the cord W and lifts and at the same time closes the grapnel, which now ascends with its load of straw. The spring h holds clamp 9 off of rope W until grapnel is at proper height; then by pulling rope j the clamp presses the rope W and prevents the retrograde motion thereof, and prevents the grapnel from descending when clutch G is removed from drum I. When the carrier is'run out sufficiently on track cable,

- a I i 138,612

and ratchet thrown in so as to prevent return of carrier, and the drain I engaged with a clutch which winds up the rope W, the loaded grapnel will ascend and disengage its load, and the spring h, assisted by upward motion of rope W, disengages clamp g and holds it off of the rope W until you wish to engage it again. The loaded grapnel, having reached the desired place of discharge, the pawl is engaged in the ratchet to prevent retrograde rotation of the drum J. The clutch is now a second time engaged with the drum I, causing grapnel to resume its ascending motion, as the ratchet now holds the carrier in its place upon the cable by preventing the drum J from unwinding, (the same as stop K first held it when load was first elevated,) until the arm striking the ring springs the catch and drops the load. The pawl is now thrown out of ratchet, the drum J is now allowed to unwind, while the drum I, still being engaged with the clutch, brings the grapnel back to stop K on cable S. The clutch being then disengaged from the drum I entirely or partially, allows the grapnel to descend swiftly or slowly to its place upon the straw for a repetition of the above operation.

The ratchet is only used in discharging the load. It acts the same as a stop on the cable by preventing drum J from unwinding.

The poles may be shifted from time to time if required to form ricks at any angle from the machine.

By this means two men are enabled to do the work of five times the number required in the ordinary mode of moving and stacking the straw from a thrashing-machine, and with more case.

Claims.

1. The straw stacking attachment for a thrashing-machine, consisting of counter-shaft driven from the beater-shaft or other moving member of the machine, loose drums I and J, clutch and ratchet, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The shears P P P P, each formed of two or more separate members united by joint pp 10 p, as explained.

3. The combination of the counter-shaft driven from the beater-shaft, the loose drums I and J, clutch G, carrier '1, self-releasing catch and double fork or grapnel, all arranged to operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The described combinationof carrier T, ropes W W, track-cables S, pulleys VV V, sheave X, and block-pulley Y, for the purpose designated.

5. The described combination of grapnel a a, strap 1), and trip-catch c d, ring 6, for the object stated.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM CARR.

Attest:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, JAMEs H. LAYMAN. 

